Photo exhibition featuring women in Ukranian police opened in Kyiv

"Ukrainian Dream" photo exhibition opened in Kyiv this Friday. More than a hundred photos are presented here. First briefing, first sparring, first shot - almost a routine for a female officer. Friedman says the high number of women doing what many thought to be a men's job is a sign of a change in the Ukrainian police.

"In a country where male chauvinism exists, where domestic abuse is so high, having women in uniform, having women patrolling streets, you know I live in a state where their presence is significant, I know if a reform is successful, the women will be at the center of it," Misha Friedman told Ukraine Today TV channel.

According to several statistics, the number of women in Ukraine's police force is at about 30 percent. Patrolling groups always consist of one man and one woman. They don't divide their responsibilities based on gender.

Oksana Kapytanska works as a patrol officer. She said her male colleagues treat her as equal but don't forget she's a woman too. "It's interesting for me because they are strong men who can help me in difficult situations.They don't use me as a usual officer, they understand that I'm a woman, and I think it's great for our work," Oksana Kapytanska said.

Misha Friedman's exhibition attracts not only average citizens, but also other police officers. Male servicemen say the presence of a woman often helps de-escalate a potentially dangerous situation.

Male and female officers call on women to join the ranks of the newly-created force. They say women's presence in the official Ukrainian institutions remains low. Exhibitions like this one can help bring this issue to the forefront..

The use of any materials placed on the site is allowed on condition of giving the link to our site.

When copying materials for Internet publications, a direct open hyperlink for search engines must be given. The link should be placed regardless of full or partial use of our siteпїЅs materials. Hyperlink (for Internet publications) must be placed in the subtitle or in the first paragraph of the material.